Guide for band-saw mills.



N0. 664,!08. Patented nee. l8, I900.

E. E. THOMAS.

GUIDE FOR BAND SAW MILLS.

(japlication filed Nov. 9, 1899.)

2 Shasta-Shoat (No Model.)

\N \TN ESSES THQM S H! s ATTm.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN E. THOMAS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION IRON WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

GUIDE FORBAND-SAW MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,108, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed November 9, 1899. Serial No. 736,318- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. THOMAS, of

Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of the upper guides for band-saw mills; and one object of the invention is to provide an upper guide for a mill of this kind which can be" readily thrown back and raisedabove the cutting portion of the saw, thereby permitting the sawing of lumber the diameter or thickness of which vertically is so great as to require the action of that part of the saw that v is above the usual position of the'guide and below the point of contact between the saw and the upper band-wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guide that will yield or move backward if it chances to be struck by the carriage or a log thereon. v

The invention consists generally in an upper saw-guide pivotally supported upon one or more oppositely-projecting yielding arms, whereby the guide is held forward in position to'be in contact with the saw by gravity, while it is at the same time capable of being quickly thrown backward out of engagement with the saw either by the hand of the operator or by being struck bya log upon the carriage or by the carriage itself. v

The invention consists, further, in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure lisapartial end elevation of abandsaw mill embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the frame of the machine, having the columns 3 for the shaft 4 of the upper band-wheel 5 and having also a suitable hanger and shaft (not shown) for the lower band-wheel 8.

The saw table and carriage, which are not shown herein, may be of any suitable or preferred construction.

A vertical guide 11 is preferably located upon one of the columns 3, being secured to bracket being provided with suitable means for moving it-such, for instance, as a rack and pinion. I have shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings a suitable rack arranged upon the slide 12 with a pinion-shaft, a pinion thereon for engaging said rack, and a hand operatingwheel upon said shaft. Any other suitable device might, however, be employed for raising or lowering the bracket or arm 12. The bracket 12 is provided with the two shafts or bars 13, which extend outwardly parallel with each other nearly to the line of the saw. On the end of .each shaftand adapted to turn freely thereon is an upwardly-extending arm or link 14. These links are secured upon the shafts'l'3 by suitable collars, which leave them free to turn upon the shafts. The saw-guide comprises the bar 15, the end of which is bifurcated and is provided with suitable wearing-blocks 16 and 17, between which the bandsaw is held when the guide is in its normal posit-ion, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The bar 15 is secured upon the links 14 by means of the studs 18. In order to form a stop to limit the forward movement of the guide, I provide one of the links with a boss 20, in which is arranged a short rod or bar 21, held in position by a setscrew 22. When the guide is moved forward into its normal position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, the end of this bar strikes the other link and prevents any further forward movement of the links and guide. I also prefer to counterbalance the guide by providing the rear link with a boss or sleeve 22, in which is supported a rod 23, having thereon a sliding weight 24, adapted to be secured in any position on said rod bya set-screw 25. This weight may, however, be dispensed with, its only purpose being to balance the guide and cause it to move backward more easily than it would otherwise do. I may also provide a counterbalance arranged upon the end of a rope or cable 27, that runs over a suitable pulley or pulleys 28 and is connected to the sliding bracket 12, as shown in the drawings.

The operation of the device is as follows: The slide or bracket 12 is adjusted to any desired position upon the guide 11. The sawguide 15 is then moved forward into position to engage the saw, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. If it is desired to cut a log that will occupy all or nearly all of the space between the top of the carriage and the point where the sawleaves the surface of the upper band-mill, the guide 15 may be moved backwardinto the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings,and the slide or bracket 12 may then be moved upward, so as to carry the guide 15 above the cutting portion of the saw. Should a log upon the carriage or any part of the carriage strike the end of the saw-guide, it will be moved back-ward from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown by dotted lines in the same figure, which will give the operator an opportunity to stop the carriage or raise the saw-guide out of contact with the carriage or log.

I do not limit myself to the details of the construction herein shown and described, as I believe myself to be the first to provide a saw-guide mounted upon an upwardly-extending arm or upwardly-extending arms, whereby it is held by gravity in position to engage the saw and whereby it may be readily moved backward or thrown out of engagement with the saw for the purposes hereinbefore stated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with afreely-swinging link or arm extending upwardly from its pivot, of a horizontal saw-guide connected thereto above said pivot and held forward by gravityin engagement with the saw, substantially as describ 2. The comb ttion, with a saw-guide, of a freely-swingL, pivoted link or arm connected to said gu lo, the pivotal pointof said link or arm beir 5 arranged below the point of connection between the link or arm and the guide, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a saw-guide, of a pair of freely-swinging arms or links pivotally connected to said guides and pivoted upon supports located below the point of connection between said arms or links and said saw-guide.

4. The combination, with a vertically-adjustable arm orbracket,of links pivoted upon suitable supports carried by said arm or bracket, a saw-guide pivotally connected to said links the pivotal points of said links upon their support being below the points of con nection between said links and said sawguide, and a suitable stop provided between said links to limit the forward movement of said guide, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the saw-guide 15, of the links 14: pivotally connected to said guide and to suitable supports at points below the points of connection with said sawguide, and a suitable stop 21 for said links, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with the saw-guide 15, the upwardly-extending pivoted links 14, the counterweight 24- carried by one of said links and a suitable stop 21 for said links, for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with the verticallymovable slide or bracket 12, the shafts 13 projecting therefrom, the upwardly-extending links 14 pivotally supported upon said shafts the saw-guide 15 pivotally connected to the upper portions of said links and a suitable stop to limit the forward movement of said links and guide, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination, with a band-saw mill, of a freely-swinging saw-guide supported horizontally and normally held forward by gravity in engagement with the saw and adapted to be moved longitudinally away from the same by contact with the saw-carriage or the log thereon, and a member interposed between said saw-guide and a suitable supporton the mill-frame and pivotally connected therewith, the coimection of said member with said guide being above its connection with said support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of November, 1899.

EDWIN E. THOMAS.

In presence of- A. 0. PAUL, A. F. HoLMEs. 

